Tucson Sector Border Patrol: Immigrant smashed agent’s head into rock

A Border Patrol agent was wounded in a fight with a Honduran man he was trying to arrest near Sasabe, officials say.

The agent had stayed behind to arrest one of four people a group of agents had been tracking in the desert west of Tucson last Thursday evening. His colleagues continued to chase three people while the agent stayed to arrest the man who had been caught, according to a news release from the Border Patrol.

During the arrest the 25-year-old Honduran man started to fight with the agent. At some point the man slammed the agent’s head into a rock, causing a bloody injury.

Other agents who heard the brawl ran back to the agent and helped apprehend the attacker.

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“The injured agent, a former paramedic, evaluated the suspect and rendered medical assistance before allowing his own profusely bleeding wounds to be examined,” the news release said.

The agency released a photo this week showing the severity of the agent’s injury. He was taken by helicopter to a Tucson hospital.

The attacker and another immigrant from the group being chased were apprehended. The man who attacked the agent is facing charges for assaulting a federal officer, the news release said.